Do You Ever Get Afraid At Night?

Do you ever check, double check, and triple check the doors and/or alarm?

Do you ever sleep with the TV on just to have a little comfort with your significant other away?

Do you ever hear a little creak or crack in the house and it sends you spinning?

Do you sleep with a gun or knife under your pillow?

I admit, I have done (some) of these things, and yes that I have been afraid, very afraid.

That pretty much changed in me though, when I had a slap in the face from my Granny. No, she didn't actually slap me. But in talking with her one day a couple of years ago, I noticed a few things.

She is old. Very old.

She can't hear at night because she takes off her hearing aid.

She lives in a very rough part of town.

Murders in her neighborhood are not uncommon.

She doesn't have a fancy shmancy alarm system or deadbolt for that matter.

She at times stays alone at night.

She believes in God, and that He will take care of her. Period.

See video below. I got her on my iphone last week talking about this subject. Ignore the shrieky voice that is me (doesn't everyone hate the sound of their own recorded voice?) plus my obnoxious mom-snap
.....and just listen to her wise and amazing words.

How, you might ask, does she have this much faith?

..... see below .....

So then FAITH comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. ~Romans 10:17

Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. ~1 John 5:4

They asked Him, "What must we do to do the works God requires?" Jesus answered, "The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent." ~John 6:28-29

FAITH ISN'T FAITH UNTIL IT'S ALL YOU ARE HOLDING ON TO.

Got Encouragement?

When's the last time someone really took the time to be an encouragement to you?

Well, for me, that was a couple of days back when a friend who keeps up with my blog took the time to send me a really thoughtful message:

On another note – I just want to encourage you, my friend, to let up on the “wish I was funnier” script you’ve got playing in your head. You, dear Annie, are joyous, genuine, kind-hearted, deep-thinking, and a lover of life in all its shadows and nuances – you don’t need any kind of crack-up funny, sarcastic one-liners to make people smile and enjoy life! Let it go, Annie dear! You are “fearfully and wonderfully made” – just the way you are!

Isn't that nice? But not just sugar coated nice, but encouraging in a real life way... kind of a kind little kick in the booty that really ended up meaning a lot to me.

Take note, dear friend, that hereby and henceforth, I will officially refrain from self-condemnation of my (lack of) wittiness on this blog. That sentence is about as confusing as the health-care bill. What I am saying in layman's terms is that I will not talk about how unfunny I am anymore!!! :-)

So, just one more question to ask you:
When is the last time you were a true encouragement to someone in your life?

Just asking.

Lego Apologies

I'm so sorry mom. I'm sorry I did that. I was wrong, and I made you a lego creation to make up for it.

Here it is mom, it's a sculpture of you.

(After a minute)

Well, I'm sorry it doesn't look like you. I'm sorry you have a skull for a face. Let me try something else.

(After a half hour or so)

On second thought, mom, I made you a lego heart.I love you so much and I am sooooooo sorry.

Perfect Pairings - Psalm 8:9

picture taken 03/19/2010 - the farm Psalm 8: 9 ~ O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
For more perfect pairings, see Baloney.

Early Easter Exitement PLUS Encore!!!

Recent Tradition dictates that we must go to Granny's for the dying of the eggs. We've done it the last oh, 8 years or so. Here we were in 2008. Like most traditions, you do the same things you did the last year and the year before that. But I'm telling you, at Granny's house, tradition NEVER gets old. It just grows more tender with each year.

This year, we actually got a little jump on Easter due to Spring Break. We went to see granny in her tiny, little nest on Friday. 12 of us showed up at noon and lo and behold, the woman, the completely amazing lady, had fixed US lunch. White beans, mashed potatoes and corn bread. The BEST! I felt awful... something told me I should have been bringing HER some kind of special lunch. But she just won't have it that way.

Here are the kids sitting around granny's famous round table. We've been sitting round that thing for the last 40 years. Well, I should say I have been sitting round it that long. Sure it's longer for my mom and dad.

Hallie, Ana and Ellie.

Backyard Easter egg hunt.Luke hid the eggs a little too well. Even he had a little trouble reaching them.

Con-cen-tra-tion.Woops!

Success. Kami was done in 5 minutes flat. Not so much the artistic type.

Grandma sat and watched all the kiddos decorate eggs.
Even gave her two cents on Ellie's eggs. The only thing cuter than Grandma I?

Maggie Rae. That girl is too cute.;Everyone relaxing afterwards and then...... the ENCORE!!!

The quilt giveaway (from Valentine's Day).

Who won?

Who could it be?

Surely not me!!!

My family has already won three!

But when she reached in to draw a name....

I could not believe my ears....

I won the quilt!!!! ~Happiness~

I know I gush about my granny, but I do not know anyone personally who truly embodies the quality of LOVE like she does.

We are blessed by her and our Easter Excitement at her house.

14

tom and i celebrated our 14th anniversary this week.

wow, that makes me feel old.

but thankful.

even though my husband and our relationship is not perfect.
we quabble. he usually thinks he's right.
so do i. (think i'm right.)
he can't fix my car when it's broken down and he's not really good at putting things together.
he is gone an awful lot, and though it's not his fault, i still get mad at him sometimes.
and did i mention he's forgetful? ooooh honey, he's forgetful.

though not perfect, i am immesely thankful for him and for our 14 years of marriage.

here's why....

1. simply said, he loves his family. he puts us first. being of the coaching profession, that is a very big thing.

2. he gives me a footrub every night (when he's home). be jealous. be very jealous.

3. he isn't afraid to make a decision. as a girl who doesn't like decisions that is very, very nice. plus, i trust his decisions. he seems to have a knack for making the right one.

4. he folds the laundry and changes the sheets. all the time. no kidding

5. his faith in God. i look to him for leadership in that area.

6. he is quicker to spend money on a quality item than i am and probably splurges on me more than he should.

7. he knows who he is.

8. he shows me affection and tells me he loves me everyday.

9. he supports me in anything i want to do whether that is taking up tennis or going on a cruise with my friends.

10. he is tall, dark and handsome. oh yeah.

11. he enjoys his guy time.

12. he is a wonderful daddy - gets down on the floor and wrestles with them all the time.

13. he knows how to make me laugh.

14. he is mine!!!

The Pioneer Woman I am Not

I think The Pioneer Woman is fabulous. Who doesn't? She is beautiful, knows how to manage her house and home, tame her cowboy and pull it all together with finesse on her blog. Even my own mother wants me to be like Ree. (hey, sweetie, now come in here and look at this girl's blog. i absolutely love it and i know you could have a blog like hers!!)

I do love photography and my little "punks" bring the greatest of joys to my life, but I don't have time to blog photoshop tips and I certainly don't possess that down home cooking instinct. Ree is a crack up, but try as I might, my funny gene is dormant. Also, I think people who homeschool are partially insane and you will never find a link for how to build a fence on my blog.

Most notably, Ree is a city girl countrified.

I, however, am a bonified country girl living who just happens to be living in the city.

I am a country girl at heart. Thus, when I go back to the farm I grew up on, it's like walking down a familiar dirt path with smells and scents and images that go down to the deepest part of my being.

I spent such an incredible spring break day yesterday with my kiddos out at Nana and Papas - it reminded me of who I really am, and sorry Ree (though you are amazing), that's not you.

Birthday Blessing

I think that along our journey on this earth, God sometimes throws in little blessings that accompany us all the way through. Perfect little packages tied up with swirly bows. Little things that seem to be coincidence, but of course, are not.

Is it coincidence that my younger cousin was born exactly 367 days after me, making our birthdays just 2 days apart?

Here we are back in 1973 (see calendar on wall behind me) celebrating! We also have a dear Uncle Rex whose birthday is one day after Heather's, so as long as I can remember, we've shared a birthday cake at Granny's. Here we are circa 1990. Like the rugby shirt and acid washed jeans? hee hee. I got to celebrate my birthday this year at my sister's house. Tom was out of town with basketball and my family made me feel very special this year complete with my favorite cholesterol-thickening dessert of Merritt's chocolate cake. Yum.

I had "the big one" last year, but this year it was Heather's turn.

We surprised her with a party at Full Moon and a Shutterfly book of her last 40 years. Happy birthday, CUZ! I'm so glad God chose to give us this birthday coincidence. Wish I was as fun and nutty as you!! But thankful for you and the great blessing you bring to my life!

Growin' Up Girl

It happened to Kami and now it's happening to my "little one."

She's growing up.
Last weekend she grew up more than usual.
She went from having long kiddy hair....To a cool big girl cut....Opened up her own bank account...and played in a piano competition I would just close my eyes and ignore the growing, but I'd miss the beauty of all of it.

Bed Head

The pictures are self-explanatory. The kid sleeps hard.

On a possibly related note, his teacher tactfully suggested to him today that he might want to jump on the trampoline in the morning before he came to school! (she was serious and wasn't being mean, just giving him some pretty sound advice as a mom of boys and teacher of 30 years.) I ADORE his teacher by the way, and that just cracked me up.